Review: Connected - Rori K. Pierce
Review: Connected - Rori K. Pierce - March 2021
There’s something wonderfully familiar about Connected. It feels like the kind of story that could be happening quietly in the house next door, behind a bedroom door, in late-night messages, and in the complicated world of a teenager trying to figure out who she really is.
Bethany is a high school wallflower who has found herself caught in a relationship that has slowly become anything but healthy. Trevor started out as someone she fell for hard and fast, but his controlling behaviour gradually strips away pieces of the girl she used to be. He encourages her to distance herself from friends, experiment with drugs and make choices that leave her increasingly isolated. With Homecoming approaching, Bethany knows something has to change before she loses herself completely.
What I particularly loved about Bethany is that her journey doesn’t feel magically easy. Breaking away from someone who has manipulated and controlled you takes courage, and Rori K. Pierce allows us to see just how frightening those first steps can be. Bethany isn’t suddenly transformed into a fearless heroine; instead, she finds little pieces of strength and learns to trust herself again. That made her feel very real to me.
Then there’s Xion949.
An online friend Bethany has never met in person, Xion949 becomes her safe place , someone she can talk to, confide in and lean on when everything else feels overwhelming. Their friendship brings a lovely warmth to the story, particularly because it shows how meaningful a connection can become even when two people have never actually shared the same physical space.
But when Xion949 wants to meet, Bethany is understandably nervous. What if the person who has been her rock isn’t who she imagines? What if meeting face-to-face changes everything?
I really enjoyed the way Connected explores toxic relationships, friendship, trust and finding the confidence to reclaim your own voice. There are some difficult themes here, but they’re handled in a way that keeps the focus firmly on Bethany and her emotional journey.
For me, this was a heartfelt, relatable read about finding your way home to yourself after someone else has made you forget who you are. Bethany’s story stayed with me, and I found myself quietly cheering her on as she took those difficult steps towards freedom.
A warm, thoughtful and hopeful read about connection, courage and learning to choose yourself and happiness first and foremost.
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